Lewis a



(No Model.)

LETTBR BOX.

w. mm

w Tm

. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

.LE'WIS A. HOKE, OF YORK, vPENNSYLVANIA ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO NOAH STUMP, OF SAME PLACE.

LETTER-BOX.

SPECIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 382,000, date May 1, 1888.

Application filed June 3, 1887.

To all whom it may con/cera,-

Be it known that I, LEWIS A. HoKE, a citizen-of the United States, residing at York, in the county of York and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful lmprovement in Letter-Boxes, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of this invention is to provide a simple receptacle for mail-matter for use at dwel1ings,stores, and the like, which may be manufactured at small cost. In its simplest form the receptacle consists of a casting having one side, a top, a bottom, and a front, all made in one piece with integral fastening-ears and with an attached cover or lid, and an attached spring-clip for the reception of newspapers, and the like.

When in place upon a door orgate, the doorframe or gate-post will form the back of the receptacle, and a stile of the door or gate Will form the other side, the opening of the door or gate permitting access to the interior of the receptacle.

The front of the box may be made with a suitable indicator to give notice of the absence and return of the owner or impart other information. i

In the accompanying drawings, in the several figures of which like parts are similarly designated, Figure l is a perspective view with the lid elevated and looking atthe open side. Fig. 2 is a perspective view looking at the inside and showing a modification of the hinging of the lid. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the box as applied to a door, and Fig. 4 is a horizontal section of the receptacle applied to a door.

This letter box or receptacle for mail-matter is constructed of the front a, one side, Z), top c, which latter has a letter-slit therein, bottom' e, and ears f, provided with openings for the passage of screws or other devices for fastening the box or receptacle in position` on a doorframe. These parts-namely, the front, side, top, bottom, and ears--are preferably made as one casting. The top is, as usual, made slanting, so as to shed rain and snow, and the said top is preferably made with lateral ridges g, which terminate in ears h to receive the pintles i of the cover j, the said cover dropping sami No. 240,176. (Ni) model.)

down between the said ridges and covering the slit d. This cover is cut away at k, so that it may be swung up vertically over the uppermost ear, f. As shown in Fig. 1, the ears h may be simply in the form of hooks to receive the pintles of the cover by insertion from the rear, the door-frame or gate-post serving to prevent displacement backwardly of the said pintles, or the ears h may be provided with holes, as shown in Fig. 2, and the cover inserted in said holes.

I do not limit the invention to any particular form of means for attaching the cover to the ears.

On the front of the box I secure a clip, Z, for the reception of newspapers and other mailmatter too large to be inserted in the slit in the top of the box. This clip may be madeof flat spring metal, and, as shown in the drawings, may be riveted to the front of the box.

The front of the box may be provided in the casting with a dial, m, containing the figures 1 to 12 to indicate the ordinary divisions of time, any suitable subdivisions of the hourbeing indicated between these figures by the conventional graduations. A hand or pointer, n, is also secured to the front within this dial in such mapner as to be rotatable to bring it to indicate any division of time on the dial. In connection with this dialand pointer any suitable inscription maybe cast upon the front, or applied to it in any usual manner, which inscription may indicate, for example, the ownerls absence and return, or any other desirable information. A dovetail or other recess, 0, may be made in the front of the box to receive detachable slips of paper or card-board, having any such inscription thereon, to be used either in connection with the dial or separately, and to give information to the postman or callers. When the dial is usedand I may say here that it is not a necessary part of my letter-box-the clip l will be set to one side of the front of the box rather than in the center.

As indicated in Figs. 3 and4, this receptacle or letter-box is placed against and secured to the side post, p, of the door or gate r,with its open side next to the door or gate, and facing the direction in which the door or gate opens. It will be seen, therefore, that the side post to IOO which the box or receptacle is attached forms the back of the box, while the door or gate or one of the stiles forms the other side, or closes the said other or open side of said 'box, and also serves as the means whereby access is had to the interior of the box for the removal of the matter placed therein.

A letter-box or mail-reeeptacle eonstruetcd in accordance with this invention can be fnr nished very cheaply,

rDhe box may be strnck up out of sheet metal, if desired, though the more economieal construction will be that of casting.

`J'Vhat I claini iS- l. A letter-box composed of a front, a, one side,,b, a top, c, provided with a slit and With ears for the cover, a bottom, e, fastening'ears f, a cover, j, and a spring for the recept-ion of papers, parcels, and the like, all constructed and arranged snbstantially as shown and de- 20 scribed.

2. A letter-box composed ofa front, a, provided with an indicator, snbstantially such as specified, one side, b, a top, c, having a slit, and provided with ears for tl1ecover,abottom, e, fastening-earsf, and a cover, j, allarranged substantially as shown and described.

3. A letter-box composed of a front, a, one side, b, a top, c, provided with a slit, and with ears for the cover, a bottom, e, and fasteningears f, all constructed as one casting and a cover, j, substantially as (lescribed.

In testimony whereof Ihave hereunto set my hand this 2d day of June, A. D. 1887.

LEW'IS A. HOKE.

Witnes'ses:

J. H. SHIREMAN, OURTIs SANDERs. 

